Metal gaming tokens



Nov. 7, 1967 J. M. SEGEL 3,350,802

METAL GAMING TOKENS Filed June 24, 1965 I INVENTOR. JOSEPH M. SEGEL BY ATTORNEYS.

WKAQQQA United States Patent 3,350,802 METAL GAMING TOKENS Joseph M. Segel, Merion, Pa., assignor to General Numismatics Corporation, Yeadon, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed June 24, 1965, Ser. No. 466,627 4 Claims. (Cl. 4027.5)

This invention relates to gaming tokens. More particularly, this invention relates to gaming tokens that can be readily identified.

In certain geographical areas of the United States Where games of chance are not prohibited by law, it is quite common for several gaming houses or casinos to be located quite close to one another. Such casinos usually sell gaming tokens which are used by the players participating in the games of chance. Such gaming tokens are usually disk-like plastic chips having a particular color for denominating the monetary value which such tokens represent. Individual casinos identify their own tokens by printing, embossing or otherwise placing some form of identifying indici-a on the flattened surfaces of the token. Such identifying indicia may be obvious if the surface of the token can be viewed but the identity of the casino issuing the tokens cannot be determined when they are arranged in stacks.

In such areas where there is a grouping of casinos, there may or may not be reciprocity between them whereby the individual players are permitted to use gaming tokens purchased from one particular casino at any of the others. Where there is no such reciprocity, then there must be a means to immediately determine when a gam ing token from one casino has inadvertently become stacked with those of another. In those instances where there is reciprocity then there must be a means whereby the individual casinos can separate their own tokens from those of another casino to receive proper credit.

Past methods and apparatus for identifying tokens have been unsatisfactory because of prohibitive costs or insufficient distinguishing characteristics.

The foregoing and other disadvantages have been overcome by providing novel metal gaming tokens having groups of spaced apart projections on the edges thereof. The spacing between groups and/ or the number of projections in a group are varied with each casino using a token having a particular spacing and number of projections per group. It has been found that when such tokens are stacked they can be readily identified merely by scanning the stack. Those tokens which do not correspond in spacing and number of projections per group are readily distinguished from the majority of tokens in said stack and thereby identified for removal. Another advantage is that metal tokens can be used in slot machines as well as at the gaming tables. Further, such tokens can be made in a one step operation.

It therefore is a general object of the present invention to provide novel metal gaming tokens that can be readily distinguished from each other.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel method for identifying metal gaming tokens.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide novel metal gaming tokens that can be readily distinguished when in stacked relation.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide novel metal gaming tokens having variations in their reeding that permit them to be distinguished when in stacked relation.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention j a different number of 3,350,802 Patented Nov. 7, 1967 is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumen- FIGURE 2 is an edge view of the token'shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of another gaming token in accordance with the principles of this invention.

FIGURE 4 is an edge view of the token shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of still another gaming token in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIGURE 6 is an edge view of the token shown in FIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIG- URE 1 a metal gaming token designated generally as 10. As shown, the token 19 is in the form of a disk-like member having a generally fiat planar upper surface 12 and a similar flat planar lower surface 14. The token is disk shaped with the periphery of the upper and lower sur faces 12 and 14 being circular. An edge surface 16 defines the outer periphery of the token 10. The edge surface 16 is generally perpendicular to the upper and lower planar surfaces 12 and 14.

The token 10 is provided with a plurality of projections or reeds 18 extending radially from the edge surface 16. As shown, the projections 16 are elongated in the direction perpendicular to surfaces 12 and 14 and spaced intermediate the surfaces. Thus, projections 118 do not extend the full width of surface 16. As will be made clear below, spacing the ends of projections 18 from the surfaces 12 and 14 permits the tokens to be more readily identified.

As shown, the projections 18 are arranged in groups 19 around the periphery of token 10. Each of the groups has an equal number of projections 18 and the spacing between adjacent groups is equal. Thus, the surface edge 16 is divided into segmented sections consisting of an equal number of projections 18 spaced apart by equal distances. As illustrated, the projection groups 19 .in FIGURES 1 and 2 include eight projections per group. Such projections cover a distance around edge surface 16 that is substantially larger than the spacing between groups. When placed in a stack, the grouped projections with the spacing therebetween are easily distinguished from tokens having projections per group and spacing therebetween.

Although the possible variations in projections and spacings are large, this is not necesarily the significant factor in identifying the tokens. What is significant is to provide tokens that vary as much as possible in the number of projections per group and spacing distance with respect to each other.

Two additional tokens that may be used with token 10 are shown in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, 6. The metal token in FIGURE 3, designated generally as 20, includes a fiat planar upper surface 22, a fiat planar lower surface 24, and an edge surface 26. The token 20 is disk shaped and has a circular outer periphery equal in diameter to the outer periphery of token 10. Accordingly, the token 20 can be stacked with the token 10.

Token 20 includes a plurality of radially extending elongated projections -or reeds 28 similar to the projections 18 illustrated in FIGURE 1. These projections extend from the surface 26 in groups 29 of four with spacings there between substantially equal to the spacing between the groups 19 on token 10. Thus, the token 20 is substantially the same as the token 10 but with grouped projections having substantially less projections per group, one-half in this instance, surrounding the periphery of the token.

When a token 20 becomes intermingled with a stack of tokens 10 or a token 10 becomes intermingled with a stack of tokens 20, the variation in projections per group make it possible to readily identify the foreign token.

A metal gaming token 30 similar to token 10 and 20 is shown in FIGURES and 6. Token 30 includes a flat planar upper surface 32, a flat planar lower surface 34, and an edge surface 36. Token 30 is disk shaped and equal in diameter to tokens and so that it can be stacked therewith.

As shown, a plurality of projections 38 extend radially from edge surface 36. In this embodiment the projections 38 are provided in groups 39 of four as in token 20. However, the spacing between projections has been substantially doubled so that there are only half the number of groups on the surface 36. The variation in spacing and number of projections per group between tokens 30 and 20 and tokens 30 and 10 is great enough so that the various tokens can be identified if they are intermingled in stacked relation. It is to be understood that other variations in the number of projections per group and the spacing between groups are possible and can easily be readily determined by persons skilled in the art who follow the teachings of this invention. For example, it is possible to vary the number of projections per group in a single token as well as the spacing.

It has been found that tokens constructed in accordance with the principles discussed above are most easily identified if made of metal. By way of example, the tokens may be made of any one of several metals such as steel, aluminum, nickel or alloys thereof. By way of example, the tokens constructed in accordance with the present invention may be made of aluminum and if desired may also be anodized to provide color. In addition, the upper and lower surfaces of each of the tokens may be provided with indicia identifying the particular casino to which they belong. Such indicia may be preferably embossed or otherwise cast as an integral part of the token. Similarly, the projections extending from the tokens are also integral therewith.

In use each casino will use a particular spacing and number of projections per group. These will be selected so as to provide easy identification when in stacked relation with tokens of another casino. The spacing of the ends of the projections from the upper and lower surfaces helps make the projections stand out when the tokens are in stacked relation.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A plurality of disk-shaped metal tokens of equal diameter, each token comprising a fiat planar upper surface, a substantially flat planar lower surface, a circular edge surface extending between said upper planar surface and lower planar surface, and means for distinguishing said tokens from each other, said means including a plurality of spaced apart groups of elongated projections extending radially outward from the edge surface of each token, said groups of projections being at positions spaced around the entire token, the number of projections in each group and the spacing between groups for each individual token being equal, certain of said tokens having a different number of projections per group and certain of said tokens having a different spacing per group.

2. A disk-shaped imperforate metal token comprising a substantially flat planar upper surface, a substantially fiat planar lower surface parallel to said upper surface, a circular edge surface extending between said planar surfaces, and a plurality of spaced apart groups of elongated projections extending radially from said edge surface at positions spaced around the entire token.

3. A method for identifying by their reeding, metal tokens of equal diameter comprising the steps of providing tokens having spaced apart groups of reeds on the edges thereof, providing certain of said tokens with a different number of reeds per group, providing certain others of said tokens with a different spacing distance between groups, whereby said tokens may be identified when in stacked relation by the variations in reeding.

4. A method for identifying by their reeding, metal tokens of equal diameter and having spaced apart groups of reeds on the edges thereof, certain of said token, having a different number of reeds per group and others of said tokens having different spacing between said groups, comprising the steps of placing said tokens in stacked relation, and comparing the reeding of said stacked tokens so that like and dissimilar tokens may be identified by variations in the reeding.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,209,998 12/1916 Pinckert 40-275 2,429,020 10/ 1947 Friedman 4027.5 3,052,999 9/1962 Sedgwick 402.2

FOREIGN PATENTS 76,347 8/ 1953 Denmark.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner. 

2. A DISK-SHAPED IMPERFORATE METAL TOKEN COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT PLANAR UPPER SURFACE, A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT PLANAR LOWER SURFACE PARALLEL TO SAID UPPER SURFACE, A CIRCULAR EDGE SURFACE EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID PLANAR SURFACES, AND A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART GROUPS OF ELONGATED PROJECTIONS EXTENDING RADIALLY FROM SAID EDGE SURFACE AT POSITIONS SPACED AROUND THE ENTIRE TOKEN. 